Opticoat Pro Fading - what will it looks like?

clx said:

Hi - I'm thinking about getting Opticoat Pro done and from what I've gathered on the forum, Opticoat Pro only lasts about 2 years then it started to fade. Does anyone knows / have a picture of what it will look like after it's faded? Will it create an uneven looking surface when it fades which made the car look worst than having swirl marks?

Also, will I still have to wax the car from time to time after getting Opticoat Pro, or just rinse and dry for the most part?

Finally, how does Opticoat Pro protects against sprinkler water spot?

Thanks and any answers are appreciated!

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I am not an expert or car detailing professional (...Joe T.--jump in here), but have had OptiCoat Pro on my S for almost 2 years. Not babied. Left outside all day. Washed 2x/week at a commercial 'off line' place. Still looks fabulous. Still shines. No funny fading or uneven appearance. No swirl marks or holograms. Resists bird droppings and water spotting (water just sheets off). No need to wax--in fact, wax really will not adhere well.

I do plan to have Joe apply OptiGloss in a few weeks as a 'tune up'.

Hope this helps. YMMV.

Opti-Coat pro will not fade as you would expect paint to fade over the years. Either it will endure and will age by wear and tear(swirls marks, etching, water spots and/or other superficial damage) which will, like anything, affect gloss, or it will fail if not applied properly(in short, never adheres to the clear coat and releases from the paint).

The coating can turn yellow in the syringe and I have seen it do that a number of times. So to some degree it could potentially yellow on a car, somewhat. As thin as it sits on paint, it would be difficult to ever see with your eye except maybe on a white car that was partially treated with OCP. Even if it started to yellow on a fully treated white car, I doubt it would be discernible.

But fade? To my knowledge, it can not oxidize/fade. Bottom line, you will need to address it due to wear and tear before worrying about anything else in all likely-hood.

clx said:

Thanks for the explanation! There were a couple times that my old car got hard water spots that's hard to remove after getting sprayed by water sprinkler, will Opticoat Pro be a good protection for that?

And do you recommend redoing Opticoat Pro every few years to refresh the look and wears?

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I made the choice to no longer offer OCP many months ago. We have different coating options.

Your best option is probably to research and find the most qualified coatings specialists in your area and then speak with a few of them. They should be willing to give you as much time on the phone as you need to be brought up to speed on their offerings. From there, do your own research on said products and go with the one that is offered by the most qualified installer.

Glad I can help.

clx said:

Hi - I'm thinking about getting Opticoat Pro done and from what I've gathered on the forum, Opticoat Pro only lasts about 2 years then it started to fade. Does anyone knows / have a picture of what it will look like after it's faded? Will it create an uneven looking surface when it fades which made the car look worst than having swirl marks?

Also, will I still have to wax the car from time to time after getting Opticoat Pro, or just rinse and dry for the most part?

Finally, how does Opticoat Pro protects against sprinkler water spot?

Thanks and any answers are appreciated!

Click to expand...

Did you get a warranty with the OCP? If so you should be covered if your having issues with it. It could have been applied incorrectly or the vehicle perhaps was not prepared properly. It has to be stripped of all wax and be perfectly clean before applying. It should not wear or ever need reapplication if done correctly. It will only wear if polished or compounded as when applied correctly it bonds to the surface. Its invisible of course so you can't see any difference where it is thicker than another area.

As far as maintenance we always recommend to our customers to perform tune ups every 6 months to bring back the shine. We use Opti-Seal for that.

Water spots are mineral deposits on the surface of the Opti-Coat. Here in Cali its the norm since we have such hard water. Many products on the market that can remove the water spots and yes they do remove easier than a surface without OCP on them.

Also note Optimum has improved Opti-Coat Pro with the new Opti-Coat Pro+. It adds even more shine and makes it even slicker so more hydrophobic as well. I have used many of the other coatings. Some look as good in the gloss but maybe not now since the + version adds even more. cQuartz would be the second best IMO but its not a 9H hard coating and has to be reapplied every couple of years. That to me always put it in a solid second place since OCP does not need reapplication, again just my opinion.